Means for operating doors



Jan. 4, 1944.

W. P. SHEPHERD MEANS FOR OPERATING DOORS Filed May 5, 1941 Patented Jan. 4, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR OPERATING DOORS Winfred P. Shepherd, Pasadena, Calif.

Application May 5, 1941, Serial No. 391,878

7 Claims.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and convenient means of holding the door in a closed position, for easily opening the door and for holding it in an approximately horizontal position when open.

A further object of the invention is to provide an arrangement of operating parts which will eliminate or hold to a minimum, the vibration and consequent rattle that characterizes some such compartment doors now in use.

Following is a specification of the device:

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a front view of the door with its location in an automobile indicated.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken through the line 22.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic sketch indicating the duplicate arrangement of lever systems.

The compartment closure herein referred to, preferably comprises a door I0, mounted preferably on spring hinges II which open the door, preferably downwardly when the catch I9, hereinafter described, is released. Rigidly attached to the edge of the door III, as by spot-welding, at a suitable distance from its hinges II, is a clip I2, on which is pivoted a lever I3, preferably curved in a quarter circle at the opposite end I4. At the curved end I4 of the lever I3 is pivoted at I5 a second lever I6, the other end of which is pivoted at I! to the side housing 23 of the compartment. The location of clip I2 and of the pivots I5 and I1 is such that the action lines of levers I3 and I6 are approximately (but not quite) parallel when the door I is closed. Thus the moment of force tending to rotate lever I6 is very small and the pull of the spring hinges I I on the door III is mainly resisted by the pivot II and the pressure against the catch I9 is relatively small.

In the closed position of the door III, the pivoted end. I of the lever I6 extends beyond the curved portion I4 of lever I3, forming a hook or dog I8 which engages catch I9 and holds the door tightly shut. Catch I9 is pivoted preferably on the side housing 23 at 20. A spring 2I holds the catch I9 in its forward or engaged position. A lug 22, preferably stamped in side housing 23, limits the forward movement of the catch I9 when the door is opened.

A small knob or stop 24, preferably stamped in the side housing 23, serves to limit the rotation of lever I6 when the door I0 opens and thus holds it in an approximately horizontal position.

Pivoted to clips 25, rigidly attached as by spot-welding to the under side of the bottom housing 26 of the compartment, a bar 21, approximately as long as the door is wide, is located so it can be manipulated easily by the fingers. A hooked rod or wire 28 connects the bar 21 with the lower end 29 of the catch I9.

Felt or rubber cushions 30 are provided in the front housing 3I of the compartment, to prevent the door from rattling.

The operation of the device is as follows:

With the door III in closed position, a slight pull on the bar 21 pulls forward the lower end 29 of catch I9 and thus releases the catch. The pull of the spring hinges I I opens the door and levers I3, I6 preferably assume the positions shown in Fig. 2, lever I6 rotating about the pivot I! until it rests against the stop 24, to hold the door in a horizontal position. The catch I9 is prevented from moving too far under the pull of the spring 2| by the lug 22.

The door is closed by merely pushing against it with the hand till it stops against the cushions 3D. In closing the door III, lever I3 rotates lever I6 till the end I8 engages catch I9, thus locking the door against the pull of the springs in hinges I I. This strain of spring hinges I I tends to keep the door from rattling and immediately opens the door I0 upon release of the catch I9, as stated above.

In this specification, to simplify the description, the levers I3 and I6, catch I9, spring 2| and correlative parts are spoken of in the singular number, whereas they would be preferably in duplicate, for each edge of the door, as indicated by Fig. 3.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications in the means herein disclosed may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a compartment door hinged at the bottom, two levers pivoted together, the first of said levers being pivoted to said door and the second of said levers being pivoted to a stationary member in such relative positions that the levers will be approximately normal to each other when the door is open and rotated to a position approximately parallel when the door is closed, releasable means for holding the levers in said approximately parallel position, an elongated rigid member movably mounted in a horizontal position below said compartment adapted to release said holding means, and spring means operable upon release of said holding means to open said door.

2. In, combination with a compartment door hinged at the lower edge, two levers, one approximately twice as long as the other, pivoted together, the longer of said levers being pivoted to said door and the shorter of said levers being pivoted to a stationary member, in such relative positions that the two levers will be approximately normal to each other when the door is open and rotated to a position approximately parallel when the door is closed, a spring catch pivoted on a stationary member adapted to engage the end of the shorter lever when said door is closed, and means for releasing said catch.

3. In combination with a compartment door hinged at the bottom, two levers of unequal length pivoted together, the longer of said levers being pivoted to said door and the shorter of said levers being pivoted to a stationary member in such relative positions that the two levers will be approximately normal to each other when the door is open and rotated to a position approximately parallel when the door is closed, a spring catch pivoted on a stationary member adapted to en gage the shorter of said levers to hold the door in closed position, and an elongated, rigid member movably mounted parallel to the hinged edge of said door, adapted to release said catch.

In combination with a compartment door hinged at the bottom, two levers of unequal length pivoted together, the longer of said levers being curved in approximately a quarter circle at one end and at the other end pivoted to said door and the shorter of said levers being pivoted to a stationary member, means for holding said levers from rotating about their respective pivots when the door is in closed position, means for releasing said holding means, and means for swinging the door to open position when said holding means is released.

5. In combination with a compartment door hinged at the lower edge, two levers pivoted together, one of said levers being pivoted to said door and the other lever being pivoted to a stationary member, a catch pivoted on a stationary member, adapted to engage one of said levers to hold them from rotating about their respective pivots when the door is in closed position, a bar approximately as long as the door is wide, mov ably mounted parallel to the hinged edge of said door adapted to release said catch, and means for swinging the door to open position when the catch is released.

6. In combination with a compartment door, hinged horizontally and having a latch engaging means, a spring biased latch pivotally mounted on a stationary member for engagement with said latch engaging means to hold said door in a closed position, a rigid member movably mounted below the hinged edge of said door, and an elongated connecting member connecting the latch and rigid member to release said latch upon movement of the rigid member.

7. In combination with a compartment door hinged at the lower edge and having a latch engaging means adjacent each side edge thereof, a pair of spring biased latches pivotally mounted on a stationary member for engagement with said latch engaging means to hold the door in closed position, a rigid member, approximately as long as the door is wide, movably mounted parllel to the hinged edge of said door, and a pair of connecting members pivoted to the latch and the respective ends of said rigid member to release said latches upon movement of the rigid member.

WINFRED P. SHEPHERD. 

